By JOHANNESBURG — In a major push to regularise public transport and clamp down on illegal operations, the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) has officially handed over 526 operating licenses to compliant scholar and minibus taxi operators across the province.
The handover ceremonies, held in Johannesburg and Tshwane on 5 and 7 October 2026 respectively, form part of an aggressive, ongoing provincial strategy to eliminate administrative backlogs, streamline regulatory compliance, and bolster commuter safety. The newly issued permits cover transport associations spanning all major Gauteng corridors, including Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Sedibeng, and the West Rand.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, emphasized that restoring order to the province’s bustling public transport network remains a top priority.
“We are committed to ensuring public transport operators do so legally,” said MEC Diale-Tlabela during the handover. “We have started issuing operating licenses to minibus taxi and other operators across the province, and we will continue with these regular handover ceremonies covering all the regions of the province.”
Accelerating Turnaround Times
For years, chronic administrative bottlenecks within provincial Transport Operating Licensing Administrative Bodies (TOLABs) have plagued public transport operators, leaving many in legal limbo while awaiting permit renewals or applications. However, recent internal operational overhauls appear to be bearing fruit.
According to the GDRT, internal efficiency upgrades have sharply accelerated processing speeds. Since November of last year, the department has successfully processed, issued, and handed over more than 8,000 operating licenses to minibus taxi and scholar transport operators throughout Gauteng.
The efficiency drive has also received a massive technological boost through the official rollout of the Gauteng Public Transport Regulatory Information System (GPTRIS). This newly launched digital platform is designed to inject transparency, accountability, and standardization into the regulatory process.
MEC Diale-Tlabela noted that GPTRIS is instrumental in enforcing legislative prescripts, such as adhering to the mandated 60-day turnaround time for standard operating license applications and streamlining over-the-counter submissions—a system expected to eventually extend further benefits to e-hailing services.
A Warning to Non-Compliant Operators and a Call to Collect
While celebrating the milestone, transport authorities issued a stern dual message: legal operators must protect themselves by carrying proper documentation, while illegal operators must step forward to regularize their status.
MEC Diale-Tlabela urged operators still awaiting documentation or operating outside the law to avoid unverified third-party channels and instead visit regional TOLAB offices directly.
“We are appealing to taxi operators who are not yet legal: kindly visit our offices to either apply or verify your status. We want to assist so you become compliant and operate legally,” she stated.
Furthermore, the MEC assured permit holders that the Department is in active, constant communication with traffic law enforcement agencies. Vehicles carrying valid paperwork will not be unfairly impounded, provided there are no other contraventions of the National Land Transport Act (NLTA).
At the same time, the Department has flagged a concerning bottleneck on the consumer side: an estimated 300 approved licenses remain uncollected. Operators have been strongly urged to visit regional TOLAB offices promptly upon notification to retrieve their documents.
As Gauteng continues to battle congestion, safety concerns, and regulatory friction in its vital minibus taxi and scholar transport sectors, the latest batch of 526 licenses signals a steady march toward a more transparent, orderly, and legally compliant public transit landscape.
